In what has become a high-level digital drama in Tamil Nadu, BJP state president Annamalai is directly taking on Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan (PTR) by releasing the audio tapes of what he alleges as the latter's conversation with a journalist. Annamalai has released two audios so far and though the source of these tapes remains unclear, they have become BJP's new weapon to spearhead a campaign against the ruling DMK. 

In the first audio, PTR was allegedly heard speaking against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's son Udhayanidhi Stalin and the former's son-in-law Sabareesan. The purported audio clip had PTR saying that the duo had amassed more wealth in one year and went on to say that they had earned Rs 30,000 crore in one year. As the audio had sparked a political furore, PTR had strongly denied any such conversations and releasing a forensic report, he said that the audio was fabricated. 

While the BJP supporters are building a campaign against PTR through the audio, Annamalai has on Tuesday released the second audio in which PTR alleged to have said that he is proponent of 'one man one post' from the day he entered politics. Releasing the audio, Annamalai took to Twitter and wrote, "Listen to the DMK ecosystem crumbling from within. The 2nd tape of TN State FM Thiru Palanivel Thiaga Rajan. Special thanks to TN FM for drawing a proper distinction between DMK & BJP!." 

A day after Annamalai released a second audio, PTR had on Wednesday released a video in which he rebuffed and shown how advanced AI technologies can create fake videos. He said that the audio was fabricated using deepfake and called BJP's attempt as cheap tactics to disrupt the good work of the Dravidian government. He said, "If such authentic looking videos can be machine generated, imagine what all can be done in a audio files. I strongly and specifically deny, I haven't said to any individual personally or on the phone at any point of time what is contained in the audio clip being circulated on social media since yesterday, the source of which nobody excepts ownership for." 

He further said, "The state president of the BJP has descended to posting an audio of somebody telling nobody about some others. This is the base level of his politics. Under the leadership of our honorable Chief Minister Thiru MK Stalin, we have delivered record breaking, innovative, and compassionate administration in the two years since we came to office. This is what we call the Dravidian model of governance." 

"Certain forces are unable to digest these achievements, so they are indulging in using advanced technologies and cheap tactics such as releasing this fabricated audios to disrupt our good work", PTR added and termed Udhayanidhi Stalin as hope for the next generation. He said, "Of the many who urged his elevation to the State Cabinet based on his appeal as a youth icon, I was among the foremost. His standing performance has surpassed all our expectations. He is making Tamil Nadu the centre of attention of the international sports world." 

Continuation of my statement of 22nd April, 2023 pic.twitter.com/Z3H6is3XzF

— Dr P Thiaga Rajan (PTR) (@ptrmadurai) April 26, 2023